Somewhere around 1976 most noticed a familiar launcher in the new Centuri "Newspaper" format catalog -
That Centuri "Power Tower" tripod launcher sure looked like something we've seen before! Of course it was the Estes Porta Pad, but molded in black. Centuri added some metallic trim, but you couldn't hide the design. We all had the Estes launcher in orange.
Estes, Centuri and Vashon were all owned by Damon. Vashon was now being sold in the Estes catalog.
Little by little the product lines blurred. The eventual move and assimilation of Centuri to Penrose had begun. In the early 1980s, I remember reading a club newsletter about the shock of receiving a Centuri order filled and sent out from Colorado.
In 1982, the Centuri ST sized body tubes were gone! The catalog page was almost a copy from the Estes catalog. The newest Centuri branded kits now used Estes BT sized tubes. The great Centuri Sure-Shot igniters were simply renamed Estes Solar Igniters, now called Sure Shot II.
In the 1981 Centuri catalog, 58 kits were offered.
In 1982, 36 kits were sold.
In 1983, 25 kits were sold. 1983 was the last Centuri catalog.
Great info, I sent to college in 1983 and didn't know they were gone until after.
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